Security deposits can be tricky for renters.
A security deposit is the money a renter must pay a landlord when they sign a lease. When the renter moves out, assuming they met the requirements in the contracts and didn’t damage the space at all, they get that money back.
Of course, different landlords can have different definitions of what constitutes “damage” — and some have been outright accused of trying to scam renters — so some renters have gotten creative to avoid forfeiting their deposit.
For instance, TikTok user Rayaa (@rayaa_8) shared a video of how one renter tried to get around paying for some damage to the bottom of a kitchen cabinet.
How much is a security deposit?
According to some contracts, security deposits can be as much as a full month and a half of rent, costing thousands of dollars.
And putting down a security deposit locks a renter into the possibility of losing the money based on the landlord’s stipulations of what constitutes “damage” to the space.
For instance, things like not paying the rent or damaging the home or apartment beyond “normal wear and tear” could lead a renter to be forced to forfeit their security deposit.
Renters often struggle with what they feel are outlandish prices, even for things like move-out fees. For instance, one TikTok user, Payton (@paytopotatoe), shared that her landlord threatened to charge her and her family $25 for each dirty stove burner when they moved out.
The oven burners were already four years old, so instead of being charged $100 for something out of her control, Payton bought an entire four-pack of new burners for only $28 and replaced them herself.
What’s the renter hack for cabinets?
Like Payton, Rayaa’s video — set to